Discover the big cities and some of the less famous destinations in this fabulous country. This is the only Contiki tour to stay in La Spezia in the Cinque Terre region and Milan, Italy's fashion capital! You'll also visit the picturesque village of Sirmione at Lake Garda, and re-enact the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet in fair Verona where the story was set. Simply Italy, simply perfect!

Top Offers & Trip Notes

Itinerary + Inclusions & ME Time Optionals

ME Time Optionals

ME Time optionals will take your trip to a whole new level with unforgettable experiences unique to the places you
visit. See more, do more, live more & go home completely regret-free. Costs for these aren’t included in your
tour cost & are payable to your Trip Manager in local currency.

Inclusions

On our trips we don't just take you to the destinations, we make sure you get under the skin of every place you visit. From amazing food & accommodation, to exclusive access to incredible experiences, with Contiki you'll get unbeatable value & a completely unique travel experience.

1
Arrive Rome

Check-in to your hotel, drop off your stuff, meet your Trip Manager and travel buddies at 4:00pm and head out into the streets of Italy to get a sneak peek at vibrant Rome.

Hotel
Dinner

2
Rome to Sorrento

Travel south towards the home of pizza, Naples. This morning there’s your chance to take a guided tour of ancient Pompeii. Later, we’ll reach Sorrento, where you’ll enjoy a sunset drink overlooking the stunning bay.

Hotel
Breakfast,Dinner

Scenic drive along the coast

See Mt. Vesuvius

Learn to make pizza Italian-style from the locals

Pompeii Guided Walking Tour

Euro 22.00

3
Capri Excursion

This morning, it’s a boat ride to the main marina of the island of Capri, famous for its stunning caves and surrounding rock formations.

There's a chance to join a local guide for a tour of Capri and Anacapri before you have free time to explore Sorrento’s web of narrow streets or the Villa Communale Park, which has stunning views of Mt Vesuvius.

Hotel
Breakfast

Day trip by boat to the Isle of Capri

4
Sorrento to Florence

Wind through the Apennine Mountains and Tuscan countryside to the Renaissance city of Florence.

Before arriving in Florence, we’ll stop off for a wine tasting in the rustic hills of the gorgeous Tuscan countryside, known for its iconic cypress trees and olive oil. In an historic villa, the group will see a working winery, complete with its old cellar and vats. Here you can learn more about the region’s wines as you taste a glass or two of the local wine.

Then, it’s on to breathtaking Florence. The scene-stealing Duomo Cathedral rises above the city’s centre, which serves up frescoes, markets and priceless art. After dinner, walk along the River Arno with your Trip Manager, take in the atmosphere and head into the heart of Florence, where you can sit back and relax Tuscan style with a glass of Chianti wine.

Hotel
Breakfast,Dinner

Guided tour of a 16th century Tuscan winery while enjoying local Chianti & antipasto

5
Florence

Jump start the day uncovering this open-air museum. Our Local Guide gives you the inside track as the group learns about Florence’s cultural beginnings and explores streets crammed with artworks from masters like Michelangelo. Then take a look into a skillful demonstration of Florentine leather making and understand this region’s traditional art.

With bargains and bustle, the city’s markets are a great place to hang out. Grab a gelato and enjoy this gorgeous city.

Tonight, there’s a choice of a group dinner - an authentic Tuscan feast. Try regional dishes in the pretty Tuscan country setting. Then keep it moving with a night out and get your groove on at Florence’s biggest club.

Hotel
Breakfast

Discover the Secrets of Michelangelo's Florence – see where his David was gifted to the Florentines, Ponte Vecchio, the Medici Palace & much more on our locally guided walking tour of Florence

Say “arriverderci” to Florence, before professing your love in Romeo & Juliet’s home of Verona. Next up: the canals and gondolas of Venice.

Hotel
Breakfast,Dinner

See Juliet's Balcony & the Roman Arena in Verona

7
Venice

Known as the “floating city”, Venice is packed with character, crammed with hidden lanes and linked by a network of canals.

The group travels on our private boat through the waters of the lagoon to visit the city’s historical heart. The limestone Bridge of Sighs, the Gothic arches of the Doge’s Palace and the expanse of St. Mark’s Square (pigeons and all!) show off Venice’s unique beauty and way of life.

Take some time to explore the floating city and lose yourself in the backstreets. There’s an optional walking tour where you can discover the labyrinth of interweaving lanes, waterways, palaces, piazzi and markets with our Local Guide. You’ll see historic monuments, hidden treasures and the Rialto market – a local favourite for food shopping.

Maybe grab a table on St. Mark’s Square and eat some delicious Italian food al fresco.

Cap off the day with an optional gondola ride & share this amazing experience with your friends - seeing Venice from on the water is unforgettable!

Hotel
Breakfast

Private boat through the canals & islands of Venice

See the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Square

See Venice's iconic canals & gondolas

Venice walking tour

Euro 11.00

Gondola ride

Euro 22.00

Venetian Dinner

Euro 37.50

8
Venice to Milan

Along the pretty shores of Lake Garda, we drop into the quintessential European lake town of Sirmione, complete with vine-covered villas, Roman ruins and a castle.

Later, the energy levels turn up a notch as we head to Italy’s fashion capital and economic powerhouse, Milan.

Your Tour Manager will show off Milan’s monuments and talk to you about the massive Duomo Cathedral, the elegant shopping arcade of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the world-famous La Scala Opera House, where many singing greats have graced the stage.

With a free afternoon, hit the streets of this cool capital and you’ll be rewarded with designer stores and funky little boutiques. Your Tour Manager, who knows Milan’s ins and outs, will be happy to point you in the right direction for the best buys before you flash the plastic.

Click here for more information on entry to Santa Maria delle Grazie featuring Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper".

Hotel
Breakfast

See the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II & La Scala Opera House in Milan

Visit Sirmione

9
Milan to La Spezia

Heading south, we hit the national park and UNESCO World Heritage site of the Cinque Terre, where colourful coastal villages dot 18 kilometres of ragged cliffs and old walled vineyards tumble down the hillside almost to the water’s edge.

It's a great journey by train along the coast, giving you the chance to take in the unique atmosphere. Watch the locals fishing along the shore, rub shoulders with the rich in famous in Portovenere and check out picture-postcard town of Monterosso.

Later chill out and get a slice of the good life, grab a table at a beachfront cafe and try some mouthwatering pesto with locally baked foccacia bread.

Hotel
Breakfast

10
La Spezia to Rome

This morning, there’s free time in Pisa and some fun photo-ops of its most famous monument, the Leaning Tower. Later, we head back to the 'Eternal City' of Rome.

This city oozes energy and overflows with relics from another age which you'll encounter at almost every corner. Our special access coach tour gets you right into the thriving atmosphere of this living timeline as your Trip Manager shows you the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia.

Continue on foot to check out the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Honour tradition at the Trevi Fountain and throw a coin in the fountain’s waters (it’s meant to improve your chances of returning to Rome!) or maybe hang out with your new friends at the Spanish Steps, sit back with a few slices of pizza and people watch.

Hotel
Breakfast

See the Leaning Tower of Pisa

11
Rome

This morning, check-out the smallest country in the world and home to the Pope, the Vatican City. There’s included entry and our Local Guide to show you St. Peter’s Basilica and Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel.

Make the most of our Local Guide’s inside knowledge and uncover the remains of an ancient empire with a fantastic optional tour of the Roman Forum and Colosseum.

Take off into the city and absorb the atmosphere, as Vespas flash past timeworn monuments that are surrounded by fountains, pizzerias, cafés and bars. In your free time, live the local lifestyle by indulging in a long lunch on a paved piazza or knock back a shot of espresso at the bar, like the Romans do.

Before you hit the shops, let your Trip Manager point you in the right direction with some tips on the best buys.

Make your last night on tour special by hooking up with your friends for an optional dinner. In a typical Roman restaurant, you’ll enjoy an authentic Italian experience, complete with an opera singer, live music and pasta.

But don’t stop there – afterwards dive into Rome’s night action with your buddies and finish up your travels with a night to remember.

Hotel
Breakfast

Locally guided tour of the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica & the art of the Vatican Museums

See St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City

Rome of the Emperors and Gladiators including the Colosseum

Euro 26.00

Dinner ‘La Dolce Vita’

Euro 39.50

12
Depart Rome

The trip ends after breakfast and it’s time to say “arrivederci” to your new friends.